Behind bars

The legend had been making music and performing for over 60 years (Image: REUTERS)

Chuck's first experience of jailtime came at the age of 17 after he and some friends lifted an abandoned pistol found on their road trip to California and used it to hold up stores.

The were caught by police and sentenced to 10 years in prison, although Chuck served just three and was released on his 21st birthday.

His next stint came in 1961 when he was convicted of illegally transporting a woman across state lines.

The 14-year-old girl had been working at his St Louis venue Club Bandstand as a waitress (and occasional prostitute), but he fired her a few weeks after her employment. When she was arrested for prostitution, Chuck faced more charges and went on to spend another 20 months in jail.

A third sentence was handed to him in 1979 after he pleaded guilty to tax evasion. He was released after four months and had to promise to serve 1,000 hours of community service - which, fortunately for his fans, could come in the form of benefit concerts.

Creating a musical genre

Chuck with Michael Jackson in 1981 (Image: Rex Features)

With Bill Clinton and Tony Blair (Image: Reuters)

Chuck inspired a wave of musicians. He poses here with Little Richard and Bo Diddley in 2002 (Image: WireImage)

Widely credited as the creator of rock n' roll, Chuck became the Hall Of Fame's first ever inductee in 1986.

Keith Richards - whose band The Rolling Stones would go on to credit Berry as a major influencer - was at the ceremony to induct him.

"It's very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry 'cause I've lifted every lick he ever played. This is the man that started it all!" he said to his icon.

He was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (Image: Rex Features)

Roll Over Beethoven and Maybellene were hugely successful tracks, helping to cement him as a musical genius.

THAT signature walk

Chuck was known for his presence on stage - helped by the 'duck walk' (Image: Getty)

Speaking to NBC's Today Show in 1978, Chuck revealed that his so-called 'duck walk' came about as an accident.

The iconic move - consisting of a bobbing head, crouched legs and a jerky walk across the stage - became popularised after Berry pulled it out at one of his early gigs.

"Well when I was a kid I used to scoot under the table, and whenever company would come around you know or my sisters or parents would tell me, go under the table and I’d do it because it was entertainment for the family or aunts or whatever," he revealed.

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The signature move came from a childhood game (Image: Getty)

"And one time at the Paramount when I first did it, you know, Brooklyn Paramount, I did it in the act during an instrumental and it got a big ovation and so I coined it as one of the things I should do in the act. And since I've been doing it."